There are no vaccination requirements for any international traveler. The World Health Organization web site, www.who.org, provides vaccination certificate requirements by country, geographic distributions of potential health hazards to travelers and information on health risks and their avoidance.
Northern Cyprus I look over Girne Harbour lost in thought. The light slowly fades and as the night plays its most colourful game with the day, the candle flames stretch out and fall over the sea. A white sailing boat has already glided into the harbour.
The historic Girne Castle at the tip of the harbour rises out of the dark blue Mediterranean. The stone walls gradually glow red. I realise that Cyprus is not just very beautiful, but has a hidden quality quite different from anywhere else; something which eases tired spirits, brings tranquility and makes even the unforgettable sink into oblivion.
Perhaps it is the fragrance – of flowers in the gardens overlooked by windows with blue shutters in Girne, and of the orange trees along the road in Guzelyurt.
Perhaps it is the fresh scent of a cool breeze from the misty Besparmak Mountains blowing through a castle perched upon rocks, or the salt smell of the turquiose sea on the Karpas Peninsula; the old scent of the photographs in an old woman’s one-roomed cottage in the village of Korucam, or the holy scent from Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque in Gazimagusa.
Which it is I have no idea. Perhaps Cyprus is a mixture of all these scents. The easiest and most enjoyable way of getting to know Northern Cyprus and experience all its fragrances is to rent a jeep and explore the country from end to end. We began in Girne, whose luxury hotels, casinos and inviting beaches make it the most popular resort in Northern Cyprus. The place where everyone exploring Cyprus gets to meet up is the harbour. Surrounded by café-bars and restaurants, it is always lively.
Right next to the harbour rises one of the most impressive and impregnable mediaeval castles to have survived anywhere. But it is easy to storm Girne Castle today and spend a few hours visiting the several tiny independent museums to which it is home. And what about the other three castles in the Besparmak Mountains? The castles of Buffavento, Saint Hilarion and Kantara kept watch for uninvited ships on the distant horizon and warned the islanders of approaching danger.
To see the scenic beauty which they have been savouring for centuries, all you need is a bit of adventurous spirit and stamina for the climb. From a dizzying wind blown height is a matchless view over the Mediterranean. On a mountainside is the tiny village of Karmi where the whitewashed houses draped with bougainvillea nestle amidst roses, geraniums, almond trees and plum trees. Here most of the inhabitants are German and British. The village of Koruçam near Guzelyurt, meanwhile, is home to a community of Maronites from Lebanon and Syria who settled here centuries ago.
Their houses too are whitewashed, and their windows frame the sea. At the doors stand elderly women dressed in black, matching the black and white photographs on the walls. Melancholy and joy are mingled inextricably here. One of the best ways to get to know the local people is to visit Yorgo’s Place, where the famous Northern Cyprus pit roast is the main speciality, served with hellim cheese, tahini, gabbar (pickled leaves of the milk thistle), garlic sausage and Mediterranean salad.
Then off we go again, leaving the Besparmak Mountains behind and heading for the capital Lefkosa (Nicosia). Here we wander through the narrow streets of the city’s oldest districts of Arabahmet and Selimiye, where the houses in an eclectic mix of styles Ottoman, Lusignan and even in a few cases Venetian in origin, made of adobe or stone, and with bay windows or balconies. Most have been restored. The Church of Saint Sophia (Selimiye Mosque) is one of the capital’s principal monuments, dating from the 14th century and characterised by marvellous stonework.
In Gazimagusa is another but still more imposing monument in similar architectural style, the Cathedral of St Nicholas (Lala Mustafa Pasa Mosque), where light filtering through the long stained glass windows enhances the spiritual atmosphere of the interior.
After visiting the ruins of Salamis, the island’s oldest church of St Barnabas, the Venetian city walls, and Othello’s Tower in Gazimagusa, it is time to head for the Karpas Peninsula. As we drive along through a landscape of yellow wheat fields, I am already excited at the prospect.
The Karpas Peninsula is the furthest extremity of Northern Cyprus, where the island tapers out in a long narrow finger of land towards Turkey. It is a remote unspoilt spot of long sand beaches. When the road ends, we get out of the jeep and begin to walk.
My head is whirling with thoughts of all the scents, faces, and tastes of the island, the salt of the Mediterranean, and flowers I dreamed of gathering. Wait for me, I want to get there first… to the very tip.
Source: Skylife
BY PLANE: Virtually every major city in Turkey has air service and Turkish Airlines offers nationwide services. Most flights connect through Istanbul or Ankara, both of which have domestic and international terminals. You can check Turkish Airlines’ schedules and book flights at www.turkishairlines.com
BY BUS: Busses are an efficient and affordable way to travel in Turkey. Private bus companies provide frequent day and night services between all Turkish cities. Local Tourism Information Offices usually have bus schedules for their regions; their addresses can be found at www.turizm.gov.tr
Tourism Information The major bus lines have spacious, comfortable coaches, and offer coffee, tea and snacks. The two largest bus companies’ web sites, www.varan.com.tr and www.ulusoy.com.tr, provide routes, schedules, ticket prices, and office addresses.
BY TRAIN: The extensive Turkish State Railways network connects most major cities. On some trains, sleeping compartments are available. Detailed train schedules and prices as well as reservation telephone numbers and authorized ticket agents are listed on their web site at www.tcdd.gov.tr. Transportation From and To the Airport Havas airport busses are a convenient and affordable alternative to taxis for transportation from airports to downtown areas or from downtown areas to airports in Turkey. You can find detailed information about the schedules at www.havas.com.tr
As known when people travel to another country a valid travel document (Passport) or valid identity is needed (Except EU countries). As Turkey is still not an EU country the entry regulations are set according the custom and entry regulations Turkey has agreed with each individual country.
U.S. citizens must have a visa to enter Turkey. U.S. citizens may obtain a visa upon entry into Turkey or in prior to departure from one of the five Turkish Consulates in the United States. Please find your state in the Turkish Consulates Jurisdiction List. Business visas must be issued prior to departure by Turkish consular offices.
Visas issued upon entry are valid for three months. Visas for longer stays and for study, research or employment must be obtained in advance. Passengers in transit through Turkey who do not leave their port of transit do not require visas.
Non-U.S citizens must apply for tourist or business visas before traveling to Turkey. Applicants should contact the relevant Turkish Consulate in person, by mail or by a courier service. Applicants outside the united States should contact the nearest Turkish Embassy or Consulate to learn their visa requirements and procedures. Turkish missions abroad are listed at www.mfa.gov.tr
Bodrum is the birthplace of the Blue Cruise, a type of tourism that weaves into Turkey. These boat tours, which cover the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, are known as the Blue Cruise since they gave this name, as a sea voyage discovered by the Fisherman of Halicarnassus, Azra Erhat and their friends. The flow point of the journey between the Gulf of Gokova and Marmaris and Antalya is to bring people together with nature on the coasts with a rich cultural history.
Black island, Kargacik Buku, Pabuc Cape, Kargi Island, Alakisla and Cokertme are the first places to be seen on tours departing from Bodrum. Bays such as Kucuk cati, Buyuk cati, Seven Islands, Longoz, Degirmen Buku, Karacasogut, whose sea was clear and wooded, are the most important routes and stops of the Blue Cruise.
In addition to natural beauties, it is visited in historical places such as Sedir Island, Koramos Ancient City, and Seven Islands. Groups are formed and structures, it is necessary to allocate 7-10 days to this journey. Gulet boats are generally used on Blue Cruises. These traditional boats have a distinctive aesthetic with an all-wood construction. Gulet boats, designed by exhibiting the most beautiful examples of handicrafts, were used as fishing boats until recently.